


Must Be Something In The Air

by futuresoon



Category: Diana Wynne Jones - Dark Lord of Derkholm
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-19
Updated: 2010-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-13 19:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/140769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/futuresoon/pseuds/futuresoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The biggest change was that damn near everyone was mooning over someone or another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Must Be Something In The Air

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thuvia ptarth (thuviaptarth)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thuviaptarth/gifts).



Life at the university changed considerably after the return of Policant, but perhaps not in the ways you’d expect. Classes were much more interesting now, true, and Ruskin’d finally gotten real permission to mess with the cafeteria food, and the thought of impending death had significantly lowered--but the biggest change was that damn near everyone was mooning over someone or another. Lukin and Olga were already making wedding plans, Elda was finally eyeing Flury in an appreciative way, Blade kept dropping by to visit Claudia at least once a week--only Felim and Ruskin seemed immune to it, and that was probably because they were old enough to view the whole thing with amusement. Romance and passionate declarations of love were _everywhere_. And Claudia wasn’t sure she liked it at all.

Oh, Blade was very nice, to be sure, and an _excellent_ wizard, and even a handsome one, but persistence did not necessarily induce attraction. She just didn’t _know_. Sometimes she felt she was being pressured into it just because everyone else had a suitor and they didn’t want her to be left out. She was busy enough with her studies, thank you; adding a boyfriend to the mix might be too much.

And yet...he was _very_ nice.

On one visit, he brought her food from home, _real_ food with swamp grass and slime and what was probably frog. Even Ruskin’s cooking could hardly match it.

“Does it taste any good?” Blade asked. His hands were folded on the table in front of him; he was all but perching on his chair. He looked, and sounded, very, very nervous.

“It’s _wonderful_ ,” Claudia said fervently. She took another bite. You just couldn’t get texture like that anywhere else.

Blade breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I had to get my parents to recommend me to your mother, at least _they’re_ respected everywhere they go--”

“You met my mother?” Claudia asked, her eyes wide. “You _met_ my _mother?_ She doesn’t even _like_ humans, no matter how blessed they are by the gods. How’d you manage to get her cooking?”

Blade shrugged. “I may also have mentioned that I had a part in preventing you from being killed by your father. I don’t think she likes him much, either.”

Claudia laughed. “Yes, well, that’s certainly true.” She gestured at him with her spoon. “I’d offer you some, but...”

“No, I’m good, thanks,” Blade said. He gave the bowl a wary look. “I’m not sure it’s meant for my digestive system.”

Claudia waved her other hand dismissively. “Oh, humans can eat it, they just don’t like to. We don’t care much for your food either. Or Marshfolk don’t, at any rate--it’s not so bad for me. I survived on the food here, after all. Not even all humans can do that.”

“My sister Lydda is a marvelous cook, I’m sure she’d be happy to make you something if you visited,” Blade said. “Which you could. Visit. If you wanted to.”

“Blade...” Claudia sighed. “I do like you, but I’m not sure...school just keeps me so busy.”

Blade moved back in his chair somewhat. “Right, right,” he said hastily. “I don’t want to pressure you or anything. I can wait, I mean, if you want me to wait, if you think waiting will change anything--”

He looked so helpless. Claudia wondered if this was how Elda had felt when she saw Corkoran. But Corkoran had been a waste of time, and Blade--well, Blade was actually good at what he did. And very nice.

And capable of talking to her mother, which even Claudia had always found difficult.

“Waiting _might_ change things,” Claudia said finally. At the very least it would give her something to lord over her brother, who hadn’t even lasted five minutes before proposing to Isobel. Granted, he and Isobel seemed to be very happy, but it was the principle of the thing.

Blade looked relieved. “I can do that,” he said. It was at that point that Elda poked her head into the room.

“Where have you _been_ , Claudia, lunch is almost over--” Then she caught sight of Blade, and her eyes widened. “Never mind,” she said, “I can see you’re busy--”

“Not that kind of busy,” Claudia said, and was grateful greenish skin kept her from turning red. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Elda nodded and withdrew her head from the room. The rest of her wouldn’t have fit, anyway.

Blade exhaled loudly. “Try growing up with five of those _and_ an older sister,” he said. “Privacy’s a luxury in my house.”

“Rather the opposite in mine,” Claudia said. “Having a family that cares so much about you must be nice.”

“Titus cares about you,” Blade said. “I have to visit him now and again, he says he misses you.”

Claudia smiled crookedly. “I miss him too,” she said. “Going to the castle at end of term may actually be pleasant this year.” She paused. “And perhaps visiting your home might be enjoyable, too.”

Blade’s face lit up. “Really? That’s great! Mum keeps asking about you, so does Shona, and Lydda and Kit and--well, and _everybody_ ,” he said. “They’d all love to see you. Even if nothing’s going on. Maybe _especially_ , I’m still not sure they’ve all gotten used to the idea of Elda having a boyfriend.”

Claudia wasn’t used to the idea of Titus having a wife, to be honest, so she knew the feeling. What was _with_ this year? More eventful things had happened in it than in nearly all her other years put together, and it wasn’t even over yet. Going to university and making real friends and fixing her jinx and not being on the Empire’s death list would have been more than enough. Seeing her brother along with most of her friends fall in love--seeing someone fall in love with _her_...

...well, perhaps she could be excused for taking a _slight_ break in her studies.

She leaned over the table and, to her surprise as much as his, kissed him. Neither of them really seemed to know what to do with it. After a moment, though, she pulled back, and he looked like he’d just aced an exam--which, in a way, he sort of had.

Then he said, “Not that I didn’t appreciate it, but your mouth tastes _disgusting_ ,” and she burst out laughing.

“Get used to it,” Claudia said.

“I’m happy to try,” Blade replied, grinning.

On the other side of the door, Elda did a mental griffin dance. The others were going to _flip._


End file.
